Hazardous materials in transportation present unique challenges to emergency responders, emergency planners, enforcement personnel, and other state and local government agencies. PHMSA is committed to improving hazardous materials transportation safety, and provides technical assistance, training and information for the development of Federal, state, and local hazardous materials transportation education programs.

In July 2002, PHMSA hosted a strategic planning workshop to better understand State and local hazardous materials transportation community training and education needs and to explore methods to better meet these needs. Participants included representatives from FMCSA, FRA, and USCG along with other public sector (Federal and state) preparedness, enforcement, and response personnel and representatives from major public and private sector associations. There was a general consensus that there is a continued need for PHMSA to provide HMT outreach and training to State and local government organizations. Specifically, it was recommended that PHMSA:

• Get out to the "Grass Roots" - take hazardous materials transportation training out to the ten Federal regions.
• Use state and local expertise to identify and recommend training to be offered.
• Develop training resources using various media.
• Establish a method to share these training resources.
• Partner with other agencies and organizations to provide or share information and training.

We listened and redesigned our Cooperative Hazardous Materials Education (COHMED) program to include all state and local professionals with hazardous materials transportation responsibilities. The redesigned program is called Hazardous Materials Transportation - State and Local Education (HMT-SALE).

HMT-SALE provides a mechanism to share information on hazardous materials transportation safety and security issues, identify training needs, and to capitalize PHMSA resources to meet State and local government education needs. To achieve this, PHMSA is working in cooperation with State and local government representatives to co-sponsor regional or Statewide workshops. Workshops will be rotated among various States and regions.

Upcoming HMT-SALE Workshops

Seminars and Workshops